Advocating for Standard ETC Derivation Paths in Wallets

What Is a Derivation Path?

Many cryptocurrency users are familiar with the need to securely store their secret recovery phrase (often called a "seed phrase") to restore access to their blockchain addresses. These phrases generate multiple private and public key pairs through a process called "derivation paths":

Secret Recovery Phrase -> Derivation Path -> Multiple Chains -> Multiple Addresses

Derivation paths act as branching routes, allowing a single root phrase to generate numerous cryptographic key pairs across different blockchains.

Using Your Seed Phrase Across Wallets

Derivation paths follow this standardized structure:

m / purpose' / coin_type' / account' / change / address_index

• m: Symbol indicating a derivation path
• purpose: BIP (Bitcoin Improvement Proposal) standard reference
• coin_type: Unique blockchain identifier
• account: Address sequence number for generating additional addresses

For example, Bitcoin's standard derivation path is:
m/84’/0’/0’/0/0
Changing one value (e.g., m/84’/0’/1’/0/0) generates entirely different keys!

👉 Discover how wallets handle multi-chain security

Ethereum Classic’s Standard Derivation Path

We urge wallet developers to adopt ETC’s official derivation path:

m/44’/61’/0’/0/0

• 61 is ETC’s chain ID (vs. Ethereum’s 60)

• Sequential addresses increment the account value:

  m/44’/61’/0’/0/0  [First address]
  m/44’/61’/1’/0/0  [Second address]
  m/44’/61’/2’/0/0  [Third address]

Addressing Wallet-Specific Issues

MetaMask Users

MetaMask currently uses Ethereum’s path (m/44’/60’/0’/0/0) for ETC, causing incompatibility. We recommend MetaMask adopt:

m/44’/61’/0’/0/0

MyEtherWallet (MEW) + Ledger

MEW’s nonstandard path for Ledger (m/44’/60’/160720’/0/0) should align with Ledger’s native ETC support:

m/44’/61’/0’/0/0

FAQs

Why can’t I see my ETC address in a new wallet?

Different derivation paths generate distinct addresses. Your funds are safe—adjust the path to match the original wallet’s settings.

Can I manually set the derivation path?

Yes! Wallets like MyCrypto and MyEtherWallet allow custom paths. MetaMask currently lacks this feature.

Is my recovery phrase compromised if addresses differ?

No. The same phrase produces different keys based on the path—no security risk exists.

👉 Explore secure multi-chain wallet options

For deeper ETC insights, visit Ethereum Classic’s official site.

**Keywords**:  
1. Derivation path  
2. Ethereum Classic (ETC)  
3. Seed phrase  
4. Wallet compatibility  
5. BIP standards  
6. Chain ID 61  
7. MetaMask ETC  
8. Ledger hardware wallet